


Of Churros, Heroes and Kindness

by Summerfall



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man - All Media Types, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Gen, tw: attempted suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-01
Updated: 2017-11-01
Packaged: 2019-01-27 23:28:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12592936
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Summerfall/pseuds/Summerfall
Summary: Sometimes heroism isn't about saving the world and winning fights… it’s about helping the people.





	Of Churros, Heroes and Kindness

**Author's Note:**

> This story was borne out of insomnia (thank-you shift work) and just a lot of thoughts and feelings about a recent incident.  
> So please excuse any and all mistakes.

_There’s a demon that resides in the shadows. It’s silent and patient and lurks in the darkest recess of the mind, biding its time… and when it attacks, when it has infiltrated heart and mind, and convinced the victim of no other option, pressing in on them until they can barely breathe… it offers them an out, a gesture of goodwill… ___

____

____

Faye had never planned this. She woke up this morning, performed the same routines, put on the well-worn uniform that is fraying at the edges, her name tag proclaiming a painfully cheerful desire to help – ‘Ask me for help’. She passed a stack of forlorn bills on the corner table, ones that she will get to eventually until the water goes cold and the light switches off. She tries, she really does, she says to the photograph who has its back turned to her. The wilting plant next to her mocked her words, though it had no right to its sorry state after the effort she put into it. It was the same, day-in, day-out, the trudge to the subways, the incessant beeping of the registrars, the monotonous questions… 

It was the same until it wasn’t.

Until she found herself on the rooftop of some building with a gun in her hand, the weight of it foreign in her hands. Her breath puffs out like smoke, the air biting into her exposed skin as she lifts the weapon to her head…

“Um, hi.”

Her eyes flew open and the gun was suddenly aimed at the last person she would ever imagine being present – 

“Spider-man.” She breathed and wondered at the sudden weirdness of the situation. Was he here to stop her? The one thing she has finally set her mind to, that feels in control of… no. She reigns herself in. “Go away, I don’t need saving.”

He has both hands up, a gesture of placation. “Nope, no saving. I’m done for the night. Just here for the view.” He indicates the skyline where the lights of the city winked at them. “Thought it would be nice to have company for a change. What’s your name?”

“Don’t”

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t try to be friendly with me or whatever it is you’re trying to do.”

“Sorry, I’m just trying to make conversation. I’m a talker, mostly to myself but occasionally to other people.” 

He’s a rambler, Faye realised, Spider-man is a rambler. She’s not sure whether it’s annoying or endearing. “Well, go talk to yourself somewhere else.”

His eyes widened in what seems to be a look of innocence. “But this is my spot, so I’m really sharing it with you. And, uh,” he scratched behind his ear, “do you mind pointing that somewhere else? I’ve kinda been shot at today, twice. Unless you’re a Spider-man hater, in which case please don’t shoot me.”

Realising she is still pointing the gun at him, Faye sheepishly dropped her arm back to her side with a muttered apology. She wasn't going to hurt anyone, she hated the thought alone. The world is already a shitty enough place as it is. And yet...

“Why do you do what you do if people hate you?”

He sat himself down at the edge of the building, feet swinging off the side as he leans against the metal railing. “Because it’s the right thing to do? Just because some people are haters, doesn’t mean they represent everyone. They just manage to make themselves louder and harder to ignore. Or they might just have a fear of spiders, who knows.”

“But the good moments make it worth it, you know?” he continues before perking up and rummaging for something at his side. “Speaking of,” he produced some squashed churros, “ah hah! This nice Spanish lady keeps buying my churros, even though I’ve only ever helped her the once. Here,” he held out a piece to her.

She eyed the pastry before glancing him over dubiously, “Where did you keep it?”

“Secret, but it’s kosher!” he promised eagerly, rolling up the bottom half of his mask to take a bite of his own.

She accepts his offering with a quiet thank-you, taking a nibble – it was slightly stale and way too sweet. She inhaled the whole thing.

“Good isn’t it?” he says happily, “The sweet stuff always lifts my mood. Course, there's this great sandwich place -"

She realised belatedly what he was trying to do. “You’re trying to make me feel better.” She stated flatly.

“Um, well, if you happen to feel less bad..."

How often does someone reach out like this? Like it really mattered. Like she mattered.

“I hope you continue doing what you’re doing, Spider-man. The world needs more people like you.” It has eased the ache in her chest, quieted the incessant voices in her head but she wasn’t going to back away.

Spider-man seems to consider her, his eye lens weirdly expressive; he is clearly looking for an answer she is unable to give.

“You know, in a place like New York, it’s so easy to get lost in the crowds that people seem to rarely acknowledge what others are going through and that no one cares.”

She sighs, “Spidey, I get that you’re a good guy and you want to save everyone but please don’t try to understand me, you don’t know me. You superheroes go fight the good fight and at the end of the day, give yourself a pat on the back well done.”

He turns to fully face her. “Those are just titles, we’re still just people who happen to have special abilities that on occasions, sucks beyond reason.”

“Yeah, I’m sure it sucks to be Captain America, the perfect patriotic specimen. Or Tony Stark, knowing he’s able to pay his bills and possibly half of New York's.”

God, she sounds petty and she hates it; hates that she's even having this conversation where she sounds like an absolute insect to the giants above.

The arachnid superhero didn't seem phased though, just contemplative as he tilted his head. “Captain America thought he had died saving the war, only to wake up 70 years in the future with his family and friends gone, a new world to understand and the same war to fight. And Mr. Stark may be a brilliant billionaire but it’s such an easy way for people to assume he’s fine; he tries to make a but keeps being judged for his mistakes. They may be superheroes, but they’re still human. They’re just using what they’ve got to try and make things better.”

“Is that what you’re trying to do as well?”

There’s a pause, in which Faye worried that she may have gone too far. When he finally spoke, it was heavy, filled with emotion. “I’m still trying to prove myself. To make it up to the people I have failed.”

“Then there’s the best superhero I know, the most brilliant woman who has lost so much but still continues to give. It could have broken her but it just made her stronger and kinder. I do what I do because of people like her. To still be kind, even when the world hasn’t been.”

Faye can hear the proudness in his voice, the overwhelming emotion that tightens the throat and chest, the feeling that was palpable through the air.

"She's your hero,"

"Yeah, she is." he says softly. “The point is, people can be idiots, it's like a self-defence mechanism. They don’t see your pain and suffering because they’re so wrapped up in their own helplessness, even the ones who seem to have it together. People like the Avengers can help with the physical threats because sometimes they’re the easy ones. The rest I think humanity needs to take care of themselves.”

“By being kind?”

“I know it sounds naïve but it doesn’t cost you anything so what have you got to lose? If someone took the time to ask how you are or if you need help or to just listen, wouldn’t that make a difference?”

“Like offering a churro to a crazy lady with a loaded weapon?”

He seems to grin through the mask, “Who can say no to churro?”

She glanced down at the weapon in her hand. “You could’ve taken this by now.”

“I know, but I rather you make the choice on your own.”

Her hands shook as she handed over the weapon. He grasped her hand before she can pull away, warm despite the chill in the air. “Do you need help, Faye?”

How did -? Her eyes tracked down to her name tag. Oh. Turns out she’s been asking for help all along, but just didn’t know it. The words felt like sandpaper in her mouth, but it was almost like relief. “Yes, I do.”

He squeezed her hand, “You’ll be okay.”

Maybe, just maybe, she might begin to believe it too.

****

Meanwhile, Upstate, Tony Stark is placing a call to a certain worried aunt while Spider-man’s baby monitor idled in the background.

“Is he okay?” were May’s first words.

“He’s fine. Listen, May, I know he’s broken curfew but let's not ground him just yet. Maybe give him a hot chocolate and a hug.”

“From you?” May sounded amused.

“I will vehemently deny it until the end of time. I’ve got a reputation to maintain. Just know you’ve got a remarkable kid on your hand.”

“Don’t I know it.” a fond smile was evident through her voice.

The kid may be stubborn, hyper, with no self-preservation and liable to give them all several heart attacks; but his innate quality to see beyond the surface, his annoying belief in people and to help those who need it the most... well, if half the people were has true as Peter Parker, the world probably wouldn't need saving. As it is, for all the times that Tony believed he was a deterrent for the world, Peter Parker has achieved twice more than that. Sometimes heroism isn't about saving the world and winning fights… it’s about helping the people.

**Author's Note:**

> Apologies for the corniness but I do honestly think that kindness can help the world a whole lot. It may not solve everything but it doesn't hurt. 
> 
> Also, Faye's background/reasons are left purposely ambiguous - the focus was meant to be more on how these thoughts affected her.


End file.
